Everliven Sound-Freedom II(2010)

1. Get Up Stand Up (Survivalist)
2. Christening
3. Elements (feat. El Da Sensei)
4. Waiting Too Long
5. Hook Them
6. Walk Away
7. Crack & The Electric Chair (feat. Hakim Green)
8. All Right All Real
9. Days of Faster
10. Come Correct
11. Holes in they Shoes (feat. C Rayz Walz)
12. Ms. Liquor Spliff
13. Sun, Moon & Stars – (feat. Stahhr)
14. Follow My Lead
15. Can You Relate – (feat. John Robinson)
16. Don't Believe
17. Dumbflows
18. Know No

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Teaming up for collaborations tends to sound like quite the chore; especially in the rap world. Somewhat rarely do you find a collaboration that doesn’t seem forced, awkward or at least something to rush back to your used CD store, begging to sell it for whatever you can get that’s better. Can Cymarshall Law & Skit Slam better that perspective? On the dancehall reggae-tinged Freedom 2, don’t let sequels fool you, it’s still good music.

Cymarshall & Skit Slam focus on what most underground rap focuses on; trials, tribulations, misfortunes, and ruminations of the bullshit present in hip-hop and the positivity within it. One could also say pretty much anything in between. You can hear it in the weed love song “Ms. Liquor Spliff”, the spiritual savior like flavor in “Waiting Too Long” and “Hook Them”, and the true to life themes brought out in “Credit Crunch” featuring C-Rayz Walz,”. There are definitely several other big tunes, such as when we hear the re-appearance of El Da Sensei on “Elements” and the skillful rhyming brought by Hakim Green on “Crack and the Electric Chair”. All these tunes, though, refuse to match the energy and intensity still brought by Cymarshall Law. He continues to remain hungry, and if the rhyming on these newest set of tracks along with his Creator’s Kid EP are any sign, he’s beginning to be more and more the franchise player of the underground world.

One section that cannot be overlooked (in a good way) is the production of Sweden’s The Beatnikz. They provide a palette of different textures in the production here. While not all of it is dancehall influenced, the good bulk of it still sticks itself in ’90s golden era hip-hop goodness, which is something to be blessed for. You can hear it in the smooth and effervescent keys on “All Right”, the chopped up elements in “Come Correct”, and the use of vibraphones and oboe in “Sun, Moon and Stars”. The Beatnikz continue to give beat after beat of interesting selection. But the crowning achievement rests in “Follow My Lead”, with its clever usage of organs and harp, both melodic and pleasing to the ear.

The disc isn’t without its faults. There are times you wonder if Skit Slam showed a little bit of the energy Cymarshall had on a couple of the tracks, or maybe wondering if Cymarshall brought it down to a similar tone as Skit Slam vocally speaking, how it could change the dynamic of Freedom 2. Other times there are instances where the subject matter doesn’t match up with the specific beat, but again that tends to be a common fault among most collaborations. Regardless of these faults though, Freedom 2 does provide for an entertaining and head nodding experience. Though overbearing at times, it’s going to be interesting to see what Cymarshall & Skit Slam have for us next go round.